Op/Ed: Wimbish’s Letter to Councilwoman Sharon Middleton Questions Newly Formed Howard Park CDC, Sean Stinnett

8 communities in the 6th district have been placed under the umbrella of the newly formed Howard Park Community Development Corporation. This includes the Ashburton Area Association.

How could this be allowed to happen?

When Delegate Sandy Rosenberg started the Presidents’ Council with Preston Greene and Bea Scott to prevent capital projects from being proposed for Black communities within the 1-mile radius of Pimlico Race Track, he informed me that he trusted Preston Greene. Preston Greene is the registered name for the Howard Park Civic Association, as well as the newly formed Howard Park CDC.

Shop Rite, which is Jewish-owned, was promised the corridor from Hillsdale to Rogers Ave. would be improved when the agreement was made to develop the grocery store. Since then, Howard Park Civic Association has been Jewish-controlled. Therefore, 8 communities in your 6th district are now Jewish-controlled. From Gullah Island to Georgetown, our history has proved the actions our Black people have hurt Black people.

John Slater, representative of Howard Park, has informed me that there is nothing I can do about requesting Pimlico Community Development Authority (PCDA) slots money for communities surrounding Dolfield Ave. because Sean Stinnett, the 3rd president of the NW president’s council, has given Howard Park (8 communities) and that Ashburton’s name is included in their grants. The Howard Park CDC holds data on all of our properties.

I understand Sean Stinnett wanting the favor of the Jewish people to get a few Jewish votes, but what would be the motive of the representative of the 6th district? Was the motive votes as well? Since City Council President Jack Young will not run for re-election and you will run for that seat, is this the reason for treason? It is common knowledge that the funding for Park Height’s 6th district went to Park Height’s 5th district? Now it is evident that there is an attempt for the funding for the 6th district communities to be given to the 8th district (Howard Park).

The Director of City Planning, Tom Stosur, stated there would be one organization to make decisions for Northwest Baltimore and that organization is Howard Park. It was your encouragement that aided these communities to participate in the Northwest Presidents’ Council. This organization has no by-laws and is not registered with the State of Maryland.

I am prepared to file a Baltimore City Ethics Complaint, but I thought I would give you the opportunity to justify the funding for the 6th district that has gone to the 5th district and the funding for the 6th district that has gone to the 8th district. This includes the $4 million LINCS (Leveraging Investments in Neighborhood Corridors) funding that has been allocated to Howard Park and the $750,000 PCDA funding that has been allocated to Howard Park.

Each community deserves a voice. Each community deserves funding.